


A Muse Like You

by ElJackinton



Category: Unavowed (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:20:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23629894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElJackinton/pseuds/ElJackinton
Summary: Since leaving the police force and joining the Unavowed, Vicki Santina has found herself strapped for cash. Wearily joining a budget gym, a chance encounter with Calliope, the former spirit of creation, leads to a whirlwind relationship Vicki wasn't expecting. However, with the death of another muse in downtown Manhattan, Vicki finds what little she has can be taken away just as quickly. Can she and the Unavowed find the killer in time, and more importantly can she teach Calli to slow down and smell the roses?
Relationships: Vicki Santina / Calliope
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	A Muse Like You

**Author's Note:**

> Given that Unavowed is a game where the story can branch in multiple directions, it's obvious this story would have to pick some events to use as it's own personal canon. The version of the story told here assumes that the Unavowed let Calli remain mortal and let Stan Bates live, and while it doesn't go into much detail, it assumes Melkhiresa was freed and you-know-who was arrested.
> 
> I never initially envisioned Vicki/Calli as a viable ship. They have fairly minimal interactions in the game itself, so I understand if some people are surprised by this. But the more I thought about the story, the more I couldn't get it out of my head.
> 
> If you liked this story, you can find links to more of my original work at eljackscomicsblog.blogspot.com/ . My fantasy/noir series Tales of the Modern Realms has a lot of similarities with Unavowed, so if you liked the game, you might like Modern Realms too.
> 
> Finally a special thanks to Dave Gilbert and the rest of the folks at Wadjet Eye Games for making this world and characters worth falling in love with. No pressure, but I really want to see an Unavowed 2.

A Muse Like You

An Unavowed Fanfic

By Jack Harvey

"Fuck," Vicki Santina said, standing hunched over an ATM in the late afternoon rain. Folks would tell her from time to time that the city had a kind of rain of its own. There were no light showers in New York. Always heavy, always fast, always in your face. Just one of the things the city had in common with most of it's residents.

Not that Vicki really cared of course. It was the only rain she'd ever experienced, but since she'd joined the Unavowed she'd crossed paths with people and creatures from further afield, and they always assured her that New York had a kind of rain of it's own.

Of course, new perspective wasn't the only change that joining the Unavowed had brought her. The other was a reduction in her bank balance. Members of the team were paid a stipend that was drawn from generous donations. After being spread amongst the entire team, however, what was left was far from generous.

"Fuckk!" Vicki repeated, slamming her fist against the side of the ATM that had the unfortunate job of delivering that bad news to her. The machine took the fist to mean their business was concluded and it spat out her card.

A gaseous form shuddered beside her. "Aaaarroaahhhhh!" screamed the ghost hovering next to the ATM.

"Yeah me too," Vicki said, making a mental note to let Logan know about this particular spectrim, skulking around, unbeknownst to the rest of the people standing in the queue.

Vicki yanked her card from the slot and turned to cross back over the road. Most days she'd be cautious of the traffic, but the rain was so bad that she decided she'd chance it. A car swerved around the corner and honked it's horn, but she elected to ignore it.

Now on the other side of the road, Vicki re-entered the glowing and cool entranceway of the Staten Island gym.

Since quitting the force Vicki had lost the use of the station's own gym. Which was fine by her, things were still frosty with the other cops, and the last thing she wanted was to deal with some bullshit grievance from an ex-colleague, but it did come with the unintended side affect of losing one of the best gyms in the city. The Unavowed HQ had a pitiful collection of weights and an old boxing bag from 1948, which was hardly enough to keep her in shape.

However, even though she was still living out of Vinnie's basement for a pittance, on Unavowed money she could barely afford a modest gym membership. The best she could hope for was a compromise of quality and affordability.

This was one compromise, however, that she didn't want to make.

She approached the desk where a beaming, friendly receptionist wearing a gleaming white polo shirt and a gleaming white smile, was waiting for her to return.

"Okay," she said, still breathing heavily from the run, and shaking rainwater from her hair. "I guess, I'm gonna' have to take the deal."

"Excellent!" the receptionist said. "Are you paying by cash or credit?"

Vicki grunted while she pulled out her card, and pondered on the devils bargain she had just signed up for.

 _Freshstyle Fitness_ was a new establishment, and was decked out in gleaming state of the art apparatus. It wasn't the station's gym, but it was close. Eager for new members, the fees were cut price for now. Even so, it was still just outside Vicki's price range, unless she signed up for a package deal. This deal would give her free reign over the weights, bikes and the sports court if she ever wanted to book it. The catch? Once a week she would have to partake in a mandatory aerobics class.

 _Fucking aerobics class._ That was the haunt of wine moms and overweight hipsters too fragile to go for a run around their apartment block. It was no place for a stone cold badass like her.

The receptionist yanked the card out of the reader and handed it back to her. "There you go," they said. "Welcome to the gym."

****

"Just hanging round an ATM?" asked Logan, scratching his bald head. "Like, right beside an ATM?"

"That's where it is," Vicki replied. "Right there."

"And you asked some of your old pals?" he continued. "No ATM related suspicious deaths?"

Vicki shook her head and peered out of the coffee shop window. The city was unusually busy for a day where the rain was like this. She almost regretted pulling Logan out for a chat.

"Well, that says to me the ghost must have been there for a while," Logan said with a sigh. "Could be from long before the city was here. Man, I hate those jobs," he shook his head and stared into space. "I have to ask Mandana to come out every time, and she's building a house out of the favours I owe her."

Vicki leaned back in her chair and laughed. That sounded like Mandana alright, and she'd call in those favours when you least expect it too.

"Huh?" Logan said, turning to the glowing ball of energy that was hovering over the empty seat next to him. "Oh yeah, I never thought of that."

Even after months of working with Logan she still hadn't gotten used to him talking to KayKay. There was still this weird disconnect between what Logan saw as a ten-year-old girl and what Vicki saw as an incandescent blob.

"What she say?" Vicki asked.

"A ghost we were dealing with a month ago was a victim of an insurance scam," he said. "The body was moved to make it look like he'd died elsewhere. It's not impossible the same thing could have happened here. An accident with the ATM machine maybe, and the company didn't want to be liable."

"Jesus don't say that," Vicki said. "I was just using the damn thing."

"Language!" Logan scolded.

"Oh!" Vicki said, eyes darting to the glowing ball of energy. "Sorry."

Logan sighed, and looked up at the roof in bewilderment. "It's fine. KayKay says this is why she likes hanging around with you in the first place."

Vicki smiled and winked at the glowing ball. Hard to believe there was a ten year old girl smiling back at her, but she tried her best.

A server had now approached them. She was tall, and sort of flighty looking. She wore a loose blue shirt and had her hair tied up into dreadlocks.

"Alright," the server said, putting a black coffee down in front of Vicki. "One black coffee, one cappuccino and an ice cream."

Vicki hated the coffee they served in these hipster places. She didn't know what was wrong with the coffee they served out of the pot at the diner on the corner of 3rd, but Logan, Eli and Mandana all insisted it was crap, so she was outvoted every time.

"Thanks," Logan said with a hearty smile.

The server smiled back at him, and paused, just for a second, putting a hand onto her neck. "So, uh, can I get you anything else?"

"Just the cheque please," Logan nodded back.

She smiled and nodded. Vicki watched her as she left.

Logan began tucking into the ice cream.

"What's with that?" asked Vicki.

"It's for KayKay," Logan said. "Since she can't eat as a ghost I've started getting whatever she misses from when she was alive and then describing it to her."

"Man, if you keep that up it'll be you that needs a gym membership not me," Vicki said, taking care to hold back her expletives. "How do you stay in such good shape anyway?"

Logan smiled, but didn't answer, instead turning to KayKay. "I don't know," he said. "It's better than the last one. The chocolate sauce isn't overpowering the vanilla this time."

The server had returned. "There you go," she said, as she placed the bill down on the table with a little silver tray that held two mints.

"Thank you," Logan said.

The girl hovered around for a few seconds more and, with a smile, departed.

"She's totally into you," Vicki said, taking a sip of her black coffee.

"What?" Logan said, scrunching up his face. "No she isn't." Then he turned to KayKay. "No, she _isn't!_ "

"I'm telling you man, you should go for it," Vicki replied.

"I told you," he said. "I'm just not interested in a relationship right now."

"Yeah, well I don't know how you do it," Vicki said, leaning back in her chair. "Being in the Unavowed has killed my dating life and I'm getting the urges, you know?" She took another gulp of coffee.

"Vicki!" Logan scolded, looking to KayKay as though he wanted to cover her ears. "Really?"

"I'm just saying why it it that you've got people fawning over you when I haven't had a bit in months?"

"We are not having this conversation," Logan said, growing embarrassed.

"Well I can't have it with Mandana or Eli can I?" she said. "It's like trying to talk to aliens when that subject comes up with those two, and who else can I talk to, huh? My brothers? No chance. That leaves Vinnie and he's still pining for his dead wife. I'd look like a total asshole."

"Well you're not going to have it with me either," Logan shot back. "I refuse."

"Ugh!" Vicki grunted. She picked up her coffee.

"If it bothers you so much why don't you see a therapist?" Logan asked. "I can recommend a couple."

"As if I can afford a therapist," Vicki laughed. "I can barely afford this coffee."

She picked up the cup and gulped the rest of the black liquid down.

"In fact," she said, getting to her feet. "This one's on you."

****

"Well, guess I should get this over with," Vicki said to herself. She slammed the locker door shut and caught herself in the mirror. Violet sports bra and shorts. Understated, nobody would ever peg her for a cop but she radiated apathy. Nobody would mistake her for somebody who wanted to be here.

She left the changing rooms and followed the carpeted trail towards the glass-walled room set aside for the aerobics class.

For a moment she considered bailing. Maybe she'd be able to sneak away without the instructor noticing. However, as she took a deep breath she could smell the carpet cleaner in the air. This gym was exactly the kind of place that was pedantic enough to throw her out over a minor membership violation, and given she'd spent the last of her monthly stipend on that membership she could hardly afford to risk it.

 _It's just half an hour,_ she told herself. _Just half an hour doing ineffectual stretches with hipsters and wine moms_. _It'll be over before you know it._

She entered the room. As expected it was full of the usual overenthusiastic individuals who were more excited to show off their neon green and orange sportswear than actually work out.

Like a petulant schoolchild trying to kite class by sitting at the back, Vicki picked a discreet mat near the south west corner of the room.

Stretching enthusiastically, the rest of the group took their places. Out of the back door of the room, stepped a woman that Vicky presumed was going to be their instructor.

Vicki blinked. _It couldn't be._

Leading the class was a tall, almost statuesque woman. Her blonde hair was held up by a band and it had died blue and red streaks on her right side.

It was Calliope, or Calli as she preferred to be called these days. A former muse, a spirit of creation that had served as an inspiration for morals for centuries. That was until recently however, where she got wrapped up in the Melkhiresa affair and had her powers transferred over to some old coot called Stanley Bates.

Vicky tried not to think how that bastard had messed with her head, so she wondered what Calli was doing here. Last she heard she was growing into being mortal with great enthusiasm. _Was this all part of it?_

Vicki inched her head through the group of people in front of her to get a better look. Calli was dressed like somebody from 1982. A blue top, bright purple leggings with a white pair of trunks over them. She made the hipsters and wine moms look drab in comparison.

 _Okay,_ Vicki told herself. _This is weird_ , but her objective of just pressing on through and getting the hell out of there hadn't changed.

"Alright everybody!" Calli called, beaming enthusiasm filling the room. "I'm Calli, I'll be your instructor today, and we're going to get..."

Calli tapped a button on an outdated looking CD player. Olivia Neutron Bomb's 'Psychical' began booming out of it.

Calli jumped into action almost immediately, matching the movements motion to motion with the music. The group were a little perplexed to begin with, but soon started moving along as well.

Vicki, with great effort, tried to keep up, though she did not match their enthusiasm.

As the class continued, the proceeding half hour began to feel more like three hours. Calli flailing around to all the cheesiest hits of the 80's. Flashdance, Dirty Dancing, no cheaply earnest performance was spared. Vicki was glad for her corner of the room, as this easily had to be the most embarrassing thing she had ever done.

Eventually, Calli relented, and the class was over. Vicki, for her part, was the only person who didn't appear to have fun, as each member of the class went over to thank the former muse for her infectious enthusiasm.

Vicki was ready to slip away unseen, yet something stopped her. Calli's appearance was unexpected, and Vicki found herself wondering what circumstances had brought her here. Maybe it was a good time to check up on her, make sure everything was okay? She had been helpful during their investigation in Brooklyn, her suggestion that they kill Stanley Bates not withstanding.

Vicki decided to hang back and wait while the rest of the class departed. Once the room was empty she wandered over to Calli, who hadn't seemed to have noticed her.

"It's Calli right?" Vicki said.

Calli paused for a moment, seemingly not recognising Vicki, then her face beamed into a smile.

"Detective Santina?" Calli said. "I didn't see you back there."

"Uh, I've kind of dropped the Detective these days," Vicki said. "I mostly just go by Vicki now."

"Well Vicki you should have told me you were coming, I could have set a place aside at the front for you." Calli said.

"Do you even have a phone?" Vicki asked.

"Well," Calli said. "No, but uh..." she trailed off. "You never told me you were interesting in aerobics. How did you like my class?"

 _It was atrocious,_ Vicki wanted to say. "It was uh, good," she lied.

"I'm so glad you liked it," Calli said, seemingly in earnest.

"So how'd you end up here?" Vicki asked, cutting to the chase.

Calli's jaw dropped and she put her hands on Vicki's shoulders. "Vicki. I discovered these things called 'music videos.'"

"Uh, okay?" Vicki said.

"I know. Music, and videos. Have you ever heard of such a thing?" Calli said. "Well once I found out about them I watched every one I could, and after a while I began to think; how can I get into a music video?"

"Riiiight," Vicki said, slowly backing away.

"Well I tried to just do it you know?" Calli continued. "To just live my life like it was a music video, but the police, they said 'you're disturbing traffic ma'am,' and 'we don't make suits in that size ma'am,' and 'we can't get David Bowie down here ma'am he's dead.'"

Vicki closed her eyes and sighed. This was going to be a difficult one.

"Well that's when I thought, if I can't live my whole life like a music video then I can live some of it like one, and since there are so many music videos of people working out and dancing, that's why I figured I'd come here."

"What? They just gave you a job?" Vicki asked.

"Pretty much," Calli said. "Good thing too because I never realised how much you mortals relied on money. It's hard to fill your day with anything else while you're asking around for a place to stay."

"Wait," Vicki said. "You've got nowhere to live?"

"Well I do now!" Calli said. "The boss of this place said I can sleep in one of the staff rooms until I can get together a down payment on an apartment."

"Jesus," Vicki said.

"Yeah," Calli replied. "I don't know what a down payment is either."

"Well, times is tough for everyone," Vicki said, ignoring that last statement. "Getting together a bit of capital to survive on... I can appreciate that."

"You're still with the Unavowed?" she asked.

"Yeah," Vicki said, scratching the back of her neck.

"You must give Mandana my best. Tell her to come down to one of my classes."

Vicki laughed at the idea of Mandana dressed for an aerobics class. "Yeah, that's not gonna' happen."

"I suppose not," Calli said with a grin.

"Look, I gotta' go," Vicki said, sensing that this conversation was reaching it's natural conclusion.

"Sure, I'll see you next week."

Vicki held in a grunt. "Yeah," she said through gritted teeth. "Next week."

****

"So," said Logan. "It turns out an ATM fault electrocuted the poor technician. Company didn't want to be liable so they moved the body to his home and made it look like an appliance problem."

"Damn," said Eli, the fire mage paradoxically wearing his black fedora indoors as usual. "Tragic, but businesses will go to some strange lengths if they think something will threaten their bottom line. It was like that even in my day."

"Well," continued Logan. "He's at peace now, but the folks who covered it up are still at large. You sure our involvement should just end here?"

Mandana leaned forward, looking cryptic and guarded under her head scarf as usual. "It is troubling that such individuals could pose a threat to the innocent, but mortal affairs are not our jurisdiction." She then turned to Vicki. "Best we can do is pass the information on to the police for them to do as they will."

"Vicki?" asked Eli. "Any suggestions on that?"

Vicki shrugged. "I'll have a word with Donnie, see if he can get it to a sympathetic ear, but it's already a closed case."

"All we can ask is that you do your best," Eli said with a smile.

Vicki smiled back. She was always comfortable in the Unavowed's meeting room. Maybe it was the roaring fireplace, or the oak table with the gently glowing crystals in the middle. Or maybe it was Kalash's vacated lamp that stood stalwart on the mantelpiece, a reminder that though the old jinn was gone in body, what he stood for still lingered.

Vicki didn't miss the cynically professional meeting rooms of her old station. Not one bit.

"Well," said Mandana. "Any further business before we bring this meeting to a close?"

"Uh yeah," said Vicki, scratching the back of her head. "One other thing."

"What's up Vicki?" asked Eli, sensing her unease.

"Ah, it's just, I was at the gym this morning and I, uh, ran into Calli of all people," she said. "She told me to say hi to Mandana by the way."

"I'm sure she did," Mandana said with a slight smile. "I am pleased to hear she is still amicable, in spite of how we clashed over the Brooklyn affair."

"She's doing well?" asked Eli.

"Well that's the thing," continued Vicki. "She's living out of a staff room at a Staten Island gym, and she's been sofa surfing before that. I don't know, I guess I'm just concerned she's in a prime situation for someone to exploit her, or worse she'll piss off someone she shouldn't."

"What are you suggesting Vicki?" Eli asked, eager to hear her concerns.

"Well, I think it wouldn't be too much to expect we help her into a more stable, safe lifestyle."

"I appreciate your concerns Vicki," Mandana said. "But Calliope is mortal now, and hard may it be to accept, it is not the responsibility of the Unavowed to babysit her."

"Who said anything about babysitting?" Vicki said. "I just don't want her to end up on the wrong side of the tracks is all."

"Calliope is over three thousand years old Vicki," Mandana followed. "She is not naive to the world of mortals."

Vicki paused a moment. She knew that Calli had once been an immortal spirit of creativity, but just hearing it said took her aback. She shook it off quickly.

"Well she sure seemed pretty naive to me." Vicki said. "Look she may have been round the block a few times but she's never been mortal before. You should have seen the look in her eyes. I know that look. Every cop does. It was no different from the hundreds of small town girls who come to the big city to make their fortune only for it to chew them up and spit them out again, or worse."

"And yet your entire objection has proven my point," Mandana said, her voice still calm and collected. "She is no different to millions of other mortals. Would you have us help them also?"

Vicki knew a shut down when she heard one. It was the same excuse her bosses back on the force would pull out if they felt she was getting too close to a case. Mandana wasn't going to fold on this.

"Fine," said Vicki. "It was just an idea."

"Don't beat yourself up about it kid," Eli said. "We've all wanted to go the extra mile sometimes. Nature of the job. And hey, If you're seeing her at the gym every week that's not nothing. You can check in with her any time."

"Yes," Mandana said. "What was she doing at the gym anyway? She didn't strike me as the athletic type when we last met."

"Maybe all those cream cheese bagels finally caught her up," joked Eli.

"She's, uh, teaching an aerobics class," Vicki said evasively.

"Huh," said Eli. "You never struck me as a jazzercise kind of person Vicki," Eli said. "I thought you were more of a weights and treadmill kind of person?"

"Oh no, not me," denied Vicki. "I just was passing the room, you know?"

"That is a lie," said Mandana, in the same way Vicki had heard her say a hundred times over.

"Ugh," Vicki grunted. "Fine. I could only afford the membership if I took a package deal. Mandatory aerobics class."

"Hey there's no shame in aerobics," said Logan supportively. "People all over the country find it very therapeutic and..." suddenly he keeled over laughing. "I'm sorry I can't. KayKay's doing the worm behind you."

Vicki turned and scowled at the ball of light, which just hovered there like it always did.

"Logan..." Mandana scolded.

"I'm sorry," he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I just never imagined Vicki being the one to bop up and down punching the air to 80's hits, you know?"

"Well I wouldn't be if I wasn't running on fumes here," Vicki said, raising her voice. "Would it be too much to ask for a pay rise?"

"The stipend is all we can afford right now," Mandana said.

"No, maybe Vicki's right," Eli offered. "The Unavowed is more used to accommodating immortals who don't have the same hierarchy of needs that mortals do. It is a little hard to expect Logan and Vicki to make do with what they have."

"What are you suggesting Eli?" Mandana asked. "Not playing the stock market again? You know father disapproved of that."

"No," said Eli. "But maybe we should ask the other branches for a cut of their income. You know the European branch is swimming in old money."

"Hmph," said Mandana. "You make a good point. I'll try them on the crystal in the morning." Then she turned to Vicki. "As to your previous question, I suppose we can at least keep an eye on Calli. If anything does concern you, Vicki, if she seems troubled or out of sorts, don't hesitate to tell us."

"Sure," said Vicki with a sigh. She hadn't meant to broach the pay situation, but it was out there now at least.

"Well," said Mandana. "If there's nothing else?"

****

Another week went by, and the aerobics class came round again. Vicki was dreading the experience, but told herself that, technically, it was part of her duties now. She felt as though that made the experience a little less daunting at least.

Entering the room, all the other members were already there.

"Uh Vicki right?" a young tattooed man near the front of the group asked.

"Yeah?" Vicki said defensively.

"Calli set a place aside specifically for you," he continued, indicating a mat that sat one row back, close to the middle.

"Thanks," Vicki said. Curious that it wasn't right at the front, but maybe Calli didn't want to look as though she was showing too much favouritism.

Vicki wondered where Calli was. There was no sign of the former muse yet. She looked to the far door near the back, and spotted a figure coming through.

"Jesus Christ!" Vicki couldn't help but say to herself. "What the hell is that crazy broad wearing?"

Gone were the garish work out clothes of the 80's. Now Calli was dressed with her hair tied back behind a pink band, sneakers sat below oversized gym socks, and most noticeable of all was a tight black leotard, shiny with almost a wet look to it.

Calli put down her bulky CD player, bending over as she did. Vicki could see the back of the leotard was hoisted right up her crack.

"Oh my god," Vicki said, putting her hand over her face, bushing with second hand embarrassment.

Then the _thump thump thump_ of the music's intro began, and Vicki realised what was about to unfold.

"Oh no..."

She recalled first seeing the music video as a teen. Donnie, her brother, would sneak a look on late night MTV to catch the uncensored version. He could never take his eyes away from it, and truth be told neither could she.

The music video, of svelte models thrusting and gyrating seductively over a by the numbers remix of Steve Winwood's _Valerie,_ was a long forgotten relic from a decade that was horny in all the wrong ways. Long forgotten, sure, until now. Vicki watched, helplessly, as the beat kicked in, Calli spread her thighs, and the group unquestionably followed suit.

What was Vicki to do? What could she do, but match those moves? Crotches were thrusted, hips were gyrated. She and her classmates fell to the floor and grinded against their training mats like their lives depended on it.

Vicki scanned the room. From the faces of the others, they felt as embarrassed and awkward as she did, but nobody dared stop. Maybe it was their leader's boundless enthusiasm. Maybe they were all expecting somebody else to object. Either way, the beat went on.

And Calli? For her part she had morphed seamlessly into the model from the old music video. A vision of boundless sensuality and sweaty eroticism. Vicki, as then, couldn't look away. Her heart beating fast. Her breaths growing short.

Calli stopped, turned, and, still thrusting to the beat, locked her gaze with Vicki. Her mouth spread into a smile.

"Ah Jesus, she's doing the lip bite and everything," Vicki despaired.

Still, this meant the song, and the unrelenting torture, was almost over.

Indeed, when it came to an end, the climax was almost disappointing.

Breathing heavily, burning from both the adrenalin and her blushing face, Vicki put a hand over her eyes and tried to shut out everything for just a moment. In that instant she could have ripped a golem's arms off. Or... well...

"Come on everybody!" Calli said, clapping her hands. "You can rest up later, we've got more of these to get through!"

Vicki got back up, and wondered what fresh horrors the day would have in store.

****

The rest of the half-hour was just as frantic, though, mercifully, less horny. Calli's remaining songs were nondescript club beats from some time in the mid two-thousands, not a one of which Vicki recognised.

Vicki considered slipping away quietly, still blushing a little from earlier, yet she knew it was her duty, sort of, to at least see how Calli was.

This of course, didn't mean she was going to play it nice.

"Vicki!" Calli beamed, drying the sweat from her neck with a towel.

"What the hell was that?" Vicki asked aggressively.

"What was what?" Calli replied innocently.

"That," Vicki repeated. "At the start. All... that?" she awkwardly pumped her fists.

"You mean Eric Prydz's 2004 chart hit _Call on Me_?" Calli answered.

"No..." Vicki said. "I mean, yes I know that's what it was but... I mean... _why_?"

"I told you last week," Calli said, looking concerned. "I'm trying to... immerse myself in the world of music video."

Vicki sighed, and leaned her back up against the nearest wall. "I know but... don't you think it was all a little... suggestive?"

"Well of course I do," said Calli, still oblivious to Vicki's objections. "Haven't you seen the music video?"

"That's not what I meant," Vicki said, frustrated. "I mean... just putting it out there... dressing like... this?" she indicated Calli's still tight and glistening leotard with her hand. "Don't you think it might give some men out there certain... _ideas_?"

Calli, paused for a moment, digesting what Vicki had just said. Then, realising the implication, she squinted and smiled. "Oh, that's what you mean." She took a few steps closer to Vicki, leaning on the wall with her hand just above Vicki's shoulder. "It might give some women certain... _ideas_ too."

Vicki looked down. It was insane how Calli had matched that model from the video like for like. Very little of her tight figure had been left to the imagination.

Vicki swallowed nervously.

"W...what?" she stuttered, trying to play it cool. "Are you trying to suggest... me?"

Calli smiled and pumped her eyebrows.

"L...listen Calli I'm talking to you in a professional capacity here," Vicki continued, trying to get the conversation back on track. "I'm here on behalf of the Unavowed, nothing more."

She didn't have time to react when Calli leaned straight in and kissed her. It was deep, and long, and Vicki could feel the heat radiating from her face. Her heart began to thump even harder than it had during the workout.

She didn't resist, kissing Calli back, and grabbing her by the neck eagerly.

Then, coming to her senses, she pushed Calli away.

"Jesus! What the _hell_ are we doing?" Vicki said, wiping her bottom lip with the back of her hand.

Calli put a hand to her cheek. "Don't fight it."

"Don't fight it? What the fuck is this? A gay tragedy film from the seventies?" Vicki swatted her hand away. "L...look Calli we barely know each other."

"So?" Calli said. "I was given to understand the world had long stopped being prudish about this sort of thing."

"Look, it's nothing to do with that... it's just..."

Calli put her hand to Vicki's lip, stopping her. "You want this," she said. "I can sense that well enough." Then she took down her hand. "But if you want to deny yourself Vicki, that is your choice."

Calli picked up her gym bag and turned to make her way to the staff door. Then she paused, and turned her head to look back at Vicki. "I'm going for a shower. They're very nice, the staff showers here. Very quiet. Very private."

Vicki watched Calli exit, she lingered at the door for just a few seconds, enough for Vicki to get one last look at her in that leotard.

 _Is she suggesting what I think she's suggesting?_ Thought Vicki. _Crazy broad._

It was time to go. Just go. Just walk out the door and do some weights or something.

Vicki looked back at the staff door.

"Shit!" she cursed herself, and she sprinted after Calli.

****

Vicki stood by the fireplace. Mandana was sitting at the meeting table alone, leafing through the pages of _Moby Dick_. A steaming cup of tea in an old teacup sat on a saucer beside her.

"You are hovering around nervously Vicki," Mandana said, not taking her striking, golden eyes off the book. "This concerns me. You are not the type to hover around nervously. If you have a question to ask you usually get straight to the point."

"Uh... well... yes," Vicki said, putting her arm up to lean on the mantelpiece, it quickly slipping off awkwardly from the lack of room. "What makes you think I have a question?"

"The leather of your jacket is creaking at an alarming rate," Mandana continued. "What troubles you?"

"Trouble," Vicki said with a humourless laugh. "Right, trouble."

"If you have a question," Mandana said. "Then ask it."

"Right... uh," Vicki said, putting her hands in her pockets. She took a few steps towards the table. "I was just wondering, hypothetically speaking of course... say... say one of these magical spirit beings... happens to get... you know?" Vicki took her hands out of her pockets and held them up, making a squeezing motion at the thin air. "Gets intimate with a mortal. Right?"

"You are speaking about Calliope," Mandana said, finally looking up from her book.

"Uh, maybe."

"You and Calliope have been intimate"? Mandana said, her voice as calm and collected as ever, but curious.

"What?" laughed Vicki, waving off the accusation. "Of course not."

"That is a lie," said Mandana.

"Ugh," grunted Vicki. "I knew this was a bad idea."

"How was she?" Mandana asked.

"I'm not going to answer that," spluttered Vicki.

Mandana didn't respond, slimly staring at her in silence.

"What?" shrugged Vicki. "It was just a quick fumble you know? Nothing to write home about."

"That is a lie," replied Mandana.

"Ughhhh," grunted Vicki. "I'm going to regret bringing this up aren't I?"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Vicki. Sexual exploration is one of the most healthy things in the world." Mandana said, taking a sip of her tea. "So how was she?"

"What? You want me to say she was good?" Vicki said, throwing out her arms. "Fine she was good."

"That is a lie," Mandana said, putting the tea down.

"What?" said Vicki confused. "She was... great?"

"That is also a lie," Mandana said.

Vicki could never tell when Mandana was toying with her. She always had that measured, neural look on her face. It was insufferable sometimes.

"Fine," said Vicki. "She was the best lay of my life. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Hmm," Mandana said, rubbing her chin. "As a muse Calliope has long been a source of inspiration for many forms of art, sex being but one of them. I supposed she would be well versed in the art of making love because of it. How intriguing."

"Alright Mr Spock if you're quite finished with your scientific deliberations," Vicki said, trying her best not to lose her composure. "Are you gonna' answer my question or what?"

"I'm sorry," Mandana said. "What troubles you?"

"Well," Vicki said, as she pulled out a chair and joined Mandana at the table. "Calli's not human. Or at least, she wasn't up until most recently. I'm just worried if there's any kind of, you know? Bad things I can catch?"

Mandana raised an eyebrow.

"Do I have to watch out for the magical clap, is the kinda' thing I want to know?" Vicki summarised.

Mandana smiled, just slightly. "Beings from the spirit realms are unaffected by microscopic diseases," she replied. "Though there are other risks."

"Really?" Vicki said, leaning forward, face worried.

"But nothing that should concern you," Mandana said. "Calli is mortal now and obeys all the laws of nature that comes with it. You have nothing to worry about beyond what you would with any other mortal lover."

Vicki breathed a sigh of relief. "Use protection, head to the clinic every now an' again. Right?"

"I would not know," Mandana said, taking another sip. "But you strike me as responsible enough Vicki."

Vicki nodded and tilted her head. "Well, this conversation has gotten about as awkward as I care to let it. Thanks for the advice." She got to her feet.

"Do you with it to be an ongoing arrangement?" Mandana asked swiftly.

"N...no," said Vicki. "It was probably just a one off."

"That is a lie," said Mandana.

****

A few days pass by, and Vicki finds on a Thursday evening that she gets a text from the Unavowed HQ. An emergency meeting had been called.

Vicki burst into the meeting room as quickly as she could. "What is it?" she asked.

Mandana looked to Logan. "Perhaps you should start Logan?"

Logan sighed, looking even more tired than usual. "Alright, so this morning I get word of a ghost hovering down near Union Square Market. Just off of Broadway. Nothing too unusual about that. But then I get there..."

Vicki watched. It looked as though the blood was draining from Logan's face.

"I knew from the moment I saw this spirit there was something... different about it," Logan continued. "Freaked KayKay the hell out. To her she said it looked like a..." Logan snapped his fingers, trying to find the words. "Fractured. Like a Picasso painting."

"KayKay knows Picasso?" Vicki asked.

"No," answered Logan. "I'm just interpreting here." he sighed. The man was visibly shaken.

"That was when Logan contacted me," said Mandana. "Apparently the spirit had mentioned me by name."

"You?" said Vicki with surprise.

"Indeed," Mandana added. "After some questioning we established that the victim had not been human at all, but a spirit. A muse to be precise. Kallichore."

"Like Calli?" asked Vikci.

"Perhaps a little more like Calli for comfort," said Mandana, worry seeping into her voice. "Spirits do not leave behind ghosts because they are spirits themselves, however, it appears as though Kallichore suffered from the same ritual that Calliope did. They were made mortal, then killed."

"What?" Asked Vicki. "Like the one Melkhiresa and you-know-who performed?"

"Not quite," added Eli. "We asked around the area, and there was a burst of creativity for about half an hour after the death, but it dissipated soon after."

"Most of the nearby folks were oblivious to it happening," said Logan.

"We think whoever performed the ritual botched it," Eli said. "They had a small taste of power, but lost it quickly."

"So..." said Vicki. "Why the emergency meeting?"

"Because the ghost said the killer sounded pretty intense," Logan said. "If he knows he botched the ritual there's a good chance he'll try it again."

"Stanley Bates?" Vicki asked.

"Perhaps," said Mandana. "But we do not know if the killer is aware Calliope has lost her powers. Kallichore certainly didn't."

Vicki felt a dread in the pit of her stomach. If the killer went after Calli she had no powers to speak of to ward an attacker off. That is if she even saw it coming.

"Right," said Vicki. "So we go lock down Callie and Stan Bates."

"Precisely," said Eli, doffing his hat. "We've already called in on Stanley. He's still at his artists commune. Lots of people, very defensible."

"I'll be keeping tabs on Bates," said Mandana. "But Calliope had no fixed abode beyond a precarious room at that gym of yours. We need you to collect her and bring her here."

"Me?" said Vicki with surprise. "Why me?"

"Because you're a crack shot with that pistol," Eli said.

"Yeah," said Logan. "I haven't thrown a punch since my drinking days. It'd probably be like getting hit by a bag of flower if I tried."

"Mandana locks down Bates and you tackle Calli," said Eli, before his face just dropped in realisation. "Uh, I mean. You know what I mean."

"Ugh," grunted Vicki. "If this turns out to be a scheme to hook me and Calli up I swear to God..."

"Nobody is playing matchmaker here Vicki," Mandana said, assuring her concerns.

"Wait," said Logan, confused. "Why would we be trying to hook you up with Calli?"

Eli ignored him. "Me and Logan are going to hit the streets. Find out what clues we can. If we can catch this killer before either Bates or Calli is targeted then all the better."

"Right," said Mandana, getting to her feet. "We'll regroup here at nine tomorrow. Let's get to it then."

Vicki was already dreading the subway ride back with Calli. "Great. It's times like these I wish we had a car."

****

Vicki burst through the gym room door. A gaggle of members were heading the opposite direction as they finished up yet another of Calli's classes.

At the far end of the room Calli was talking to a straggler. A young, well toned man with faux tribal tattoos running up his arms. They were smiling at each other, and he seemed engrossed with what she was saying.

Was that a pang of jealousy she felt?

"So I just went for it and, you know what?" said Calli. "Here I am."

The man chuckled. "I just..." he stuttered. "I've wanted to run my own thing for so long but I've never had the confidence."

"It's not the confidence," Calli said, encouragingly. "It's just the love. As long as you love doing it then people will be able to feel that."

"Excuse me sir," Vicki butted in, standing with her hands on her belt, same way she always had done for years on the force. "Official Police business. I need to speak to Miss... _Op_ _é_ here."

The man's face dropped, afraid and worried.

"It's nothing serious sir," Vicki said. "Just a routine check."

"Alright," he said, then nodded and smiled. "See you around Calli."

"See you Lee!" she waved.

Once the man seemed out of earshot Vicky took her by the arm. "We need to go now."

"Vicki!" Calli said with a scandalised smile. "You couldn't wait a week?"

"Ugh," Vicki grunted. "It's not about that. You know of a muse called Kallichore?"

"Of course," she said cheerfully. "Bet you didn't know it was them who gave Nero the fiddle while Rome burned."

"Look I don't have time for a history lesson," said Vicki, pulling her towards the changing room door. "I need you to get changed and we need to get out of here."

Calli stopped. "Vicki, what's happened?"

Vicki sighed. It was never easy delivering news like this. "Kallichore is dead. Somebody took their powers like Stan Bates did with you. Made them mortal and killed them."

Calli looked as though they didn't quite know how to process the information. "I... see."

"Cept' they botched the ritual. Never got the powers of a muse themselves, so we're worried they're going to try again."

"But... I don't have any powers," Calli protested.

"I know," Vicki said. "But we don't know if the killer knows that. So until we catch this punk, I need you to come with me to Unavowed HQ. Mandana is heading to Brooklyn. We're going to lay low until this blows over."

Calli gasped excitedly. "We're going to have a sleepover?"

"Ugggh," Vicky shoved her into the changing room. "Just let's go."

****

Vicki peered out of the crack in the curtain, hand on her holster. As ever the street outside the building was quiet. Just the usual couple of Sikh cab drivers milling around before their shift started when the sun went down.

Calli was sitting on a chair by the fireplace. She'd gotten changed into her white sort-of-dress-thing that she had been wearing when Vicki first met her back in Brooklyn. She looked like a stoned hippy then and she looked like a stoned hippy now.

"Is that really necessary?" Calli asked. "Doesn't this place have, like, magical defences or something?"

Vicki glanced back at her, but didn't move from her spot.

There was silence for a few moments. Then Calli leaned forward. "You know, if we've got this place to ourselves..."

"Nope," said Vicki. "My job tonight is to protect you and keep an eye out for trouble." She pointed her fingers and made a circle around her vicinity. "This is not going to the bone zone. This is not even in the same area code as the bone zone."

Calli made a face like a sulking child. "But Vicki..."

Jesus, she'd had an easier time letting down boys back in high school.

"But nothin'," she shot back. "What is it with you Calli? It's like you can't slow down for five minutes."

"I don't know Vicki," Calli called over angrily. "Maybe the death of another muse has given me the startling realisation that I'm going to die one day. That I've only got this set existence and I'm not going to have time to see everything."

"Jeeze'," Vicki said, leaning by the window and folding her arms. "You really are new to all this ain't you?"

Calli was rambling at this point. "I mean at first I was elated. There was so much to see. So much to experience. But that's the problem isn't it? There's too much. I'm going to age, I'm going to die. There's no way I can fit the sum total of art and creativity into the time I have left."

"Yeah," Vicki said. "You and every other shmuck on this planet."

"Then you understand," Calli replied, looking dead at her. "I want to make every second I have count."

Vicki sighed. _So that's what all this was about?_ Calli was having an existential crisis. She pushed herself up and walked over to the girl. "You drink whiskey?" she asked. "I think Eli has a bottle of scotch lying around here somewhere."

"I... uhh... I'd rather go for a milkshake." Calli replied nervously.

Vicki rolled her eyes. "I think Mandana has some of that crap tea she drinks lying around."

"I'll try that," Calli said.

Vicki searched through a bunch of nearby cabinets. "Here we go," she said, pulling out the whiskey bottle. "And the tea too."

She glanced back at Calli, she was nervously fumbling with her hands.

"Be back in a jiff."

Seconds later Vicki had returned with a scotch on the rocks and a steaming cup of whatever tea it was that Mandana drinks.

Calli was wiping her eyes. _Had she been crying?_

"There you go," Vicki said, handing her the tea, before taking her position back by the window. Still nothing. She took a sip of the whisky and felt the warm burn on the back of her throat like a familiar friend.

She looked over at Calli.

"Look Calli, all you need to do is to slow down. My Ma, she used to say... it was a stupid statement, but a true one... she used to say you have to stop and smell the roses."

"Well of course," Calli said. "If they're there to be smelled then you have to stop and do it."

"Ugh," grunted Vicki. "That's not what it means. What it means is that you can't just rush from one thing to the next. You have to slow it down. You have to let yourself enjoy it."

"I'm not sure I understand," Calli said, taking a sip of the tea.

"Okay," said Vicki. "Look, you like reading books right?"

"Sure," Calli said, perking up. "You ever read Beautiful Losers?"

"No," Vicki replied simply. "The point I'm making, is that if you become obsessed with reading every book you can then you'll never actually enjoy them. You'll be halfway through one and be rushing to the end to get to the next."

"Okay," said Calli.

"Well apply that same logic to... me and you, for example." Vicki said with trepidation. "What we did the other night was just a quick fumble in a shower, you know?" Vicki shrugged, and took another sip from her glass. "It was nice, but it's not something to do constantly. These things have to take time, take breaks. Sometimes they're just one offs."

"But if we enjoyed it _then_ why wouldn't we enjoy it _now_?" Calli said impatiently.

Vicki sighed. "Look," she said, walking over and holding out the whiskey. "Try this."

Calli took the glass and a hearty gulp of the amber liquid. She almost immediately began to cough. "You drink that?" she spat.

"I do," Vicki said. "But it takes some getting used to. That's what I mean about taking your time. Sometimes you can't just jump from one thing to the next." She took her place back by the window and held up the glass. "I could just throw this whiskey down my throat. It'd get me feeling good for sure, but I don't do that. I savour it. I want to taste the smoke. I want to feel that warmth."

Calli nodded.

"Of course, not everyone can do that," Vicki said sadly. "Just look at Logan. Back when he was a drinker he didn't take the time to savour it. He couldn't. To him once one drink was over then it was on to the next. He couldn't slow down, and it almost destroyed him."

Vicki hadn't expected the conversation to get this heavy, but she could see at least Calli was starting to understand.

"That's what it means to smell the roses," Vicki said. "It means nothing is worth anything if you can't appreciate the time without it."

Calli nodded, and took another sip of tea. "I think I'm starting to understand. Art, pleasure, it can be enjoyed quickly, in succession, but... that's not the only way to enjoy it. It's not even the most proper way to enjoy it."

Vicki glanced at the ceiling. "That's one way of putting it I guess."

"So," Calli said, getting to her feet. "I need to take the time to savoir it? To take my time."

"Sure," Vicki said. Her eyes lingering on Calli's hips, and the way they still swayed after they stood.

"Can you show me?" Calli asked, taking a few steps towards her.

"Sh... show you what?" asked Vicki.

"How to take our time," Calli said with a smile.

Vicki wanted to say no, but it had been a long day, the drink was starting to loosen her up, and she _had_ enjoyed her time with Calli the other day. "Trust me to fail to take my own advice." She put down her drink and sighed. Well, she had tried. "There's a bedroom upstairs."

"Well then," Calli said, before taking her by the hand and leading her into the back room. As they ascended the stairs, hand in hand, Vicki felt like a teenager again.

"Jesus," she said to herself with a laugh. "What the hell am I doing?"

****

"Holy fuck," mumbled Vicki, as she awoke for the first time in ages without a crick in her back or a pain in her arm. "I really need to move out of Vinnie's basement."

Vicki rolled over. The comparison between this and her own excuse for a bed was like night and day. It had probably been the best nights sleep she'd had in months.

For what little sleeping she had done.

Vicki rolled over. Calli was sleeping next to her, her head on her hands. In sleep the ditzy facade was all but gone. Calli's face was like that of an ancient Greek statue. Stern, noble, resolute. No wonder she and Mandana had once been friends.

Vicki rolled over and threw a hand over her head. Light was peeking through the cracks in the curtains. She looked around, and felt a sadness overcome her. It was hard to believe it hadn't been all that long since Melkhiresa had been sleeping in this room.

Still, no time to dwell on the past when the future was still in question.

That last night had been something else. Not a quick fumble, no. It was more like a conversation. A meeting of two worlds. But, you know, with fucking.

No, not fucking, that didn't quite sound right. It was smoother. Melancholic. If their fumble at the gym had been like a fast paced dance club number, then last night had been more like a Cat Stevens song.

"He's called Yusef now," Calli said through tired eyes.

"What?" Vicki whispered back.

"You were mumbling something about Cat Stevens," she said, her eyes still closed. "And something about fucking."

Vicki sighed and sat up. She stretched, and felt the sleep begin to pull itself out of her.

"What time is it?" Vicki asked.

"Morning," Calli said unthinkingly.

Vicki rolled her eyes, and looked up at an old clock. "Twenty to nine. Shit. Mandana said we'd be meeting at nine. I've gotta' get ready." She climbed over Calli and got to her feet.

Calli groaned childishly and grabbed the back of Vicki's t-shirt.

"Come on," said Vicki. "Really?"

"You've got twenty minutes," Calli pleaded.

Vicki looked down at her. A mess of tangled hair and the blue sheets of the bed.

"Fine," said Vicki with a laugh. "Twenty minutes."

****

Vicki barely had time to wash and dress by the time she descended the stairs. She rubbed her eyes, and hoped the others didn't ask too many questions about why the shirt under her jacket was looking particularly crumpled.

She entered the meeting room.

Eli, Mandana and Logan were looking at her. Logan was looking particularly distressed.

"What?" asked Vicki, concerned about this new development.

She heard a loud creak above them. Calli was taking a few steps out of bed. Suddenly realising that her temporary bedroom was directly above the meeting room, Vicki's face burned red.

"Uhhh,"she muttered.

"Jesus Vicki!" Logan scolded. "The swearing in front of KayKay is bad enough, but this? I can't cover her ears with my hands you know?"

"We were that loud?" was all that Vicki could think to say.

Eli stifled a laugh and looked to the floor.

"Shut up KayKay," Logan said in the direction of the floating ball of energy.

"Look, it's not my fault this building has thin ass walls okay?" Vicki shouted back.

"We are wasting time," Mandana said, calmly, but firmly, and caught the rooms attention. "This can be discussed later. Right now we have to address the previous night's affairs."

"Yes, well," Vicki said. "As you have probably established Calli is fine."

"Indeed," Mandana replied. "I experienced no concerns tending to Stanley Bates either." She then gave a slight smile. "Though clearly I didn't have as much fun."

"Ugh," groaned Vicki.

"Well," Eli started. "Me and Logan have good news and bad news. The good news is we found our killer."

"Eli managed to use his fire reading to trace a burned subway ticket." Logan added. "From there we talked to the locals, asked about anybody acting shifty the night of the murder."

"Eventually we found the killer's apartment. That's where the bad news comes in," Eli said. "Seems he's skipped town."

"He left a message for his parents to find," Logan said. "Said he knew he was in big trouble and he'd be leaving the state. Said not to go looking for him."

"Either way this concludes our involvement in the case," Mandana said. "For now at least."

"What?" Vicki said. "You're just gonna' let a killer go?"

"No," said Eli. "We'll pass the details on to the other branches of the Unavowed in case he resurfaces again. In the meantime, Vicki, if you could give the killers identity to your brother? Kallichore wasn't a registered citizen, so their death won't be investigated, but I imagine the police will at least want to know about a dangerous individual."

"Sure," sighed Vicki. "Who was he?"

"Well that's the weird thing," Eli said, rubbing his lip. "Young man by the name of Lee Manchester. Sporty type. Apartment was covered with athletics paraphernalia. Not the kind of person you'd expect to want the unbridled power of creativity at all."

"You got a picture?" Vicki asked, taking a few steps forward. "Some kind of ID Donnie could use?"

"Uh, sure," Eli said, pulling open his jacket and pulling out a photo from his inside pocket. "Guy seemed to like photos of himself finishing marathons and that kind of stuff."

He handed it to Vicki. The young man was running down a Manhattan street with his thumb up. He had blonde hair, and faux tribal tattoos on his arms.

"Oh shit!" Vicki said.

"That doesn't sound good," said Eli. "This isn't going to be good is it?"

"We need to go get Stan Bates now!" Vicki said, pulling out her pistol and pulling back the slide. There was a bullet in the chamber.

"Vicki calm down," Mandana said. "What it this about?"

"I saw this guy," she said. "Talking to Calli at the gym, just when I went to collect her. Damn it how could I be so stupid!"

"There's no way you could have known Vicki," Logan said, getting to his feet.

"Not that," Vicki said, then sighed. "Me and my big mouth. I basically told Calli our big plan while this guy was in the room. He'll know Bates has the power and he'll also know that you were watching him all night."

"Ah," Mandana said with worry.

"If I had to guess I'd say he was probably staking Bate's little commune out until you were gone. We might already be too late."

"Hey guys," said Calli entering the room. "What's for breakfast?"

"Calli," pointed Vicki. "You need to stay here."

"No," Mandana said. "She needs to come with us."

"What?" shot Vicki back.

"If what you're saying is true then Calli knows this Lee Manchester. She might be able to talk him down. We might be able to end this without bloodshed."

Vicki knew they could be walking into the dragons maw. A man who had already killed a muse and might have his sights also set on Calli. What they had shared they hadn't shared long, but Vicki's heart ached knowing that something bad could befall her.

"I know Lee," Calli said, unaware of what they had just discussed. "Nice boy, very enthusiastic. What's this about?"

Mandana was right. Vicki didn't like it, but she was right.

"Come on," Vicki said, taking Calli by the hand. "I'll tell you on the way."

****

Stanley Bates nearly fell from the chair he was tied to as Lee struck him across the face.

"I told you," Lee Manchester shouted. "All you have to do is relinquish the power and nobody gets hurt."

"And I told you young man," Bates said, somehow managing to maintain his composure. "I'm still new to all this. I don't really know how my powers work. It's just... a feeling. I'm not even sure if I _can_ pass it on to another."

"Don't lie to me," Lee said, waving around a box cutting knife. "I know you got your powers once another muse relinquished them. I know you can do the same."

Vicki peeked round the corner of a pile of cement bags. She'd cursed her previous suggestion that the group split up.

Lee had set up his ritual site in an old warehouse that was being converted into artist's loft apartments. Brooklyn is as Brooklyn does. It was a massive complex of several interconnected buildings and multiple floors. They had no choice to split up really, but taking down Lee Manchester would be a lot easier if Eli and Mandana were around.

"Why don't you just shoot him?" asked Calli, also crouched behind the bags. "You've got a clear shot."

"Because Mandana wanted to keep this bloodless," Vicki said. "And besides, I fire off a shot now it might spook Bates. Who knows what he might do in a panic. He nearly fried our brains with pure creativity last time we crossed paths with him."

"Yes, I wonder why he hasn't pulled that trick with Lee. Maybe his earlier tampering with the creative force has left him immune."

"You stay here," Vicki said. "I'll take care of this."

Vicki dived out of the cover and aimed directly at Lee, who was getting closer to Stan Bates with his knife.

"Drop it Manchester it's over," she shouted.

Lee turned in surprise. "Ah the ex-cop," he said. "I knew it wouldn't be long till you saw through my ruse." He tossed the knife in his hand. "I should thank you. If it wasn't for you I'd have thought Calli was the one who still had the power. I'd have killed her for nothing."

"It's all for nothing anyway fucko," Vicki said, taking a few steps closer. "You're gonna' let Stanley go, and you're gonna' surrender. Unless you want a bullet for brunch."

"This is all very kind of you detective," interjected Stanley. "But I was just telling this young man that I can't give him the power anyway. It's all very much in hand."

"Shut up," Lee shouted. "Or your ears will be coming off first.

Stan Bates shut up.

"You're surrounded asshole," Vicki lied. "There's only two ways this'll go."

"No," Lee said, and he lifted up his hand.

Vicki pulled the trigger.

The pistol jammed.

"You don't think this ritual was the first spell I learned do you?" he laughed, before lunging forward with the knife.

Vicki took a few steps back and caught her foot in a loose floorboard. She tripped and fell.

_Stupid rookie mistake. Fuck!_

"Stop!" shouted Calli stepping out into the open.

Lee paused.

"Calli you need to get out of here," Vicki called.

"No," she replied. "Lee why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing this," he shouted back frantically. "You know why. You're there every day at the gym, surrounded by people who love you. You make a difference. I want that. Why can't I have that?"

"That's what this is about?" Vicki said sceptically.

"I've been trying for years to get people active," he said. "I want to get people up off the couch, to get healthy. I can make a difference. I know I can, but everything I've tried there's always some other class. Some other trainer. Somebody better!"

 _Okay,_ thought Vicki. _He's nuts._

"I only wanted the power of a muse like you," he said to Calli. "The power to inspire people. To make them feel part of something."

"Then take me," Calli said. "When Stan took my powers he didn't take them all. I still kept a little bit back. Just a touch, but enough."

"What?" Stan said in confusion.

"Let Stan and Vicki go," Calli said, approaching him. "I'll give you what I have."

"I knew it," Lee said viciously. "I knew there was more to what you were doing in that class. I knew there had to be a reason people were so into it."

"Calli, don't do this," said Vicki, heart in her mouth.

Lee approached her, brandishing the knife. Calli turned and looked at Vicki.

"Don't worry Vicki," she said. "I'm exactly where I need to be."

From behind Lee Manchester Vicki could see the recognisable glow of KayKay's spectre.

Lee put his hands on Calli's shoulder. "I'm ready to do this," he said. "Give it to me."

"Hey asshole," came a call from behind a stone pillar. Logan came running out into the open. "I'll give it to you alright."

He clocked Lee clean in the face. Before he could even react the young man was out cold on the floor.

"Thanks for the heads up KayKay," he said. "What? I'm allowed to swear in intense situations we've discussed this." He paused, walking over to help Vicki to her feet. "No _you_ aren't allowed to swear."

"Like getting hit by a bag of flower my ass," Vicki said laughing.

"Who knew I still had it in me huh?" replied Logan.

She rubbed the back of her head, and noticed Calli was uniting Stan Bates from the back of his chair.

"Thank you my dear," he said. "And to think it wasn't that long ago that you wanted these fine young folks to kill me."

"Oh I still think they should have killed you," Calli said. "But I just don't want to piss them off because they're my friends."

Vicki smiled over.

Mandana and Eli came running across the room. "Thank god!" he said. "We heard the commotion but this damn place is like a labyrinth."

"Fortunately Brooklyn's Minotaur lives seventeen blocks east," Mandana said, without a hint of irony.

"So what now?" asked Logan.

"Well," said Vicki. "Now we have got something we _can_ book this sucker on. Maybe we can't get him sent down for murder, but an attempted murder on Bates here can at least send him down for a while." She pulled out her cellphone. "I'll give Donnie a call, see if we can box him up somewhere tight."

"Calliope," said Mandana, approaching the former muse. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's fine," she said with a beaming smile.

"Was that true?" asked Vicki. "About you still having a little bit of power I mean?"

"No," she said simply. "But I had to do something to draw Lee's attention."

"He could have killed you," said Vicki.

"I know, but he was going to kill you," Calli said, her smile slipping to a frown. "That would have made me sad. I don't know if I'd have been able to live with that."

"Thanks I guess," Vicki said.

"Somebody has to teach me to slow down," Calli said. "To savour life. Otherwise it won't be worth living. Right?"

Vicki smiled over at her. "You want to grab coffee after we wrap up here? There's a diner round the corner?"

Mandana and Eli smiled at each other discreetly.

"Sure," Calli said.

Logan threw a hand to his mouth to catch a laugh.

"What?" Vicki said angrily.

"Nothing," he said. "It's probably for the best you can't hear what KayKay is singing right now."

****

"... and that's why my dad used to say you never eat a steak more than once a month. And never have it well done... obviously."

"Obviously," Calli said, writing notes on a napkin.

The diner was as busy as Vicki had expected. Unlike the hipster place she had been to with Logan the other day, this room was filled with slightly overweight construction workers in overalls, middle managers with egg stains on their white shirts and kids trying to make their last five dollars go as long as it could.

Diners never really quieten down in New York. From early morning breakfast, to late brunch all the way to black coffee and cherry pie at three in the morning. Truly the diner was one of America's most important institutions.

Speaking of cherry pie.

A young man in a red apron approached them, he had a mug of black coffee in his hand.

"Can I start you off with with some coffee?" he asked.

"Oh yes please," Vicki said with a nod.

The man began to pour the black liquid into their mugs. "And anything else?"

"Yeah I'll take a slice of pie," Vicki said, before looking over to Calli.

"I'll have," Calli started, before catching Vicki's gaze. She could tell she was about order at least half the menu. "I'll have the pa..." She paused. "I'll have the Spanish omelette please. With breakfast fries."

"One slice of pie, one Spanish omelette," the man said. "I'll be right back."

"See," Vicki said. "You're learning restraint already."

"Yeah well," said Calli in a huff. "This coffee better be good at least."

"Oh it is," she said picking up the thick ceramic mug and taking a long gulp of the dark liquid.

Calli did the same.

"Well, what do you think?" Vicki asked.

"I'm sorry Vicki," Calli replied. "It's crap."

"Ughh," Vicki grunted.


End file.
